


will you be my best friend? will you be my last?

by ohprongs



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: AU, Human AU, M/M, Malec AU, SH Love Fest, fake dating au, though the fake dating lasts like two (2) minutes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 12:56:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9324584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohprongs/pseuds/ohprongs
Summary: or the 'you pretended to be my partner bc my ex wouldn't stop talking to me' au





	

**Author's Note:**

> written for [edin](http://achilleanragnor.tumblr.com)’s [sh love fest](http://achilleanragnor.tumblr.com/post/154910608248/shadowhunters-valentines-day-fic-a-thon) day 14: free for all.
> 
> title from _miss you_ by gabrielle aplin

Honestly, it’s like the very cosmos conspired to rub Magnus' face in the fact that he’s single and sad and lonely. Why did he think venturing out to pick up his take out from a restaurant filled with lovey-dovey people on Valentine’s Day was a good idea, again? He should have just called for delivery.

He’s drumming his fingers on the counter, one of his metallic rings glinting in the light, when he catches movement out of the corner of his eye. A person he recognises has come to stand beside him, though it doesn’t seem like they deliberately chose the spot because he was there. 

Magnus has known the person - Alec - for about a year. They met at one of the monthly Fray-Garroway movie nights they both attend, having mutual friends. Invariably Clary and Izzy, and Luke and Jocelyn, cuddle up together on a couch each, and Jace and Simon usually curl up in the armchair, which leaves Alec and Magnus to fend for themselves with blankets and the floor. 

Rather than making things awkward, being the only non-couple in attendance actually gave them something to bond over; both of them still remember, with disturbing clarity, the time they’d been watching _Inception_ , and the poignant moment where the guy finds the paper windmill in the safe was ruined by the unmistakable sounds of two people making out. Unsure of the true culprits, Magnus and Alec had launched pillow projectiles at all possible suspects, and whenever they meet up for coffee they usually get around to complaining about it again at some point.

For the most recent few movie nights, though, Alec hasn’t been there, leaving Magnus to seventh-wheel weeks after the worst break up of his life. At the reminder of this betrayal, Magnus lets an unimpressed noise slip out, and Alec glances to the side. He’s clearly expecting a stranger because he does a rather comical double take and his scowl turns into a smile of recognition.

“Magnus,” he breathes out. His eyes sweep up and down Magnus’ body and then he clears his throat. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Magnus says. “Are you waiting for someone?” At the slight wrinkle that forms in Alec’s brow, he clarifies, “are you on a date?”

“What? No,” Alec says, shaking his head. “Are you?”

Magnus lifts an eyebrow. “Not quite,” he says ruefully, forcing a smile, “unless Chairman Meow counts.”

Alec raises his eyebrows. “I thought - uh. Are you not? You have a girlfriend. Don’t you?”

“No,” Magnus says. “I don’t.”

Alec blinks twice then looks away from Magnus. 

“Shit, I’m sorry,” he says, rubbing at the heel of his thumb with his other hand. “Why did you break up with her?”

Magnus squints at Alec. “What makes you so sure it was me?” he asks, unable to help himself. 

Alec looks at him again. He pulls a face, and if Magnus didn’t know better he’d say Alec looked confused. Alec opens his mouth, then closes it, cheeks colouring. He shrugs.

“Just a feeling,” he says eventually, looking away. It’s clearly not what he was going to say, but obviously what he was going to say made him uncomfortable, so Magnus doesn’t push it.

Instead, he says simply, “Well, you’re right, I did, but only because Camille cheated on me and rather broke my heart. So I’m here ordering enough food for five people and then I’m going home to watch Netflix with my cat because I can’t stand to be around any of these nauseatingly love-sick people any longer.” He says it in a rush, like that will make it less pathetic. “What are you doing here?”

Alec is staring at him, mouth open slightly. “Avoiding my Mom,” he says after a moment, and Magnus is kind of glad Alec ignored the whole sob story he’s got going on. Magnus doesn’t need pity. He needs alcohol.

“Is she still trying to set you up?” he asks, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” Alec sighs. “Well, both my parents are, but Mom’s more obvious about it. We argued after the last time and I stormed out. This was the first food place I saw once I’d calmed down enough to realise I was hungry.”

Magnus wrinkles his nose. “Are the guys they're setting you up with that awful?”

Alec exhales sharply. “I wouldn’t know,” he says. “They try and set me up with girls.”

Now it’s Magnus’ turn to be confused. He stares at Alec. “But you’re gay,” he manages eventually. “What the fuck?”

Alec nods, sighing. “Yeah.” He glances at Magnus. “I am really sorry about your break up,” he says. “I didn’t know, or I wouldn’t have brought it up. Are you okay?”

Magnus manages half a smile. “Yeah, well you would’ve known if you hadn’t been a traitor and left me alone with three couples for the past few movie nights,” Magnus teases. Alec rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling. Magnus drops the act. “I’m getting there,” he says honestly, “but Valentine’s Day brings everything up again, you know? As long as I never have to see her again, I should be fine.”

Of course, because the cosmos isn’t done fucking with Magnus yet, the door to the restaurant opens and in walks Camille. She looks beautiful, smiling brightly and looking adoringly at the man who’s arm she’s holding onto, but Magnus knows that smile has a bite and she only holds on for as long as she wants to. 

“Fuck,” he mutters, closing his eyes and instinctively turning away from her. 

Alec looks at him. “What’s wrong?” he asks.

“Camille,” Magnus says, flicking a ringed finger behind him so he can point in her direction. Alec waits a moment before looking over, and Magnus shouldn’t feel his heart leap at the way Alec glowers at her, but he does.

“That’s her?” Alec asks lowly, still staring at her.

Magnus is about to answer when Alec snaps his gaze back to the counter they’re standing at and swears under his breath.

“I think she saw me,” he whispers to Magnus.

“Well, you’re rather hard to miss, darling.”

Alec squints one eye at Magnus, face scrunching up adorably. “No, I mean, I think she saw me with you. Like, us. Together. Not - _together_ , obviously -”

Magnus hovers his hand over Alec’s on the counter top, stopping his flustered mumblings.

“I understand,” he says, smiling. Alec’s cheeks are red and he smiles at Magnus. “Let her look, I don’t care.”

Only, he still kind of does, and if she came over now, he’d probably let her break his heart all over again. They both know what he says is a lie, but at least Alec’s polite enough not to mention it.

“Bane?” one of the restaurant staff calls. Magnus holds up his ticket for collection, and the server swaps it for the bags of food she’s carrying. “Enjoy your meals, see you again soon.”

Magnus thanks her, placing the food down at his feet. He’s just stuffing some bills in the tip jar when Alec nudges him with his elbow.

“Magnus,” he hisses, “she’s coming over.”

Magnus’ eyes swivel to Alec.

“Wonderful,” he mumbles, just managing to put his game face on before her voice reaches his ears.

“Magnus,” she says, leaning forward to brush her lips against his cheek in an impression of civility. “We’ve not seen each other in so long! What’s it been, six months? Seven?”

Magnus grits his jaw. “Six months and three weeks,” he says, “but who’s counting?”

Camille just smiles at him. She casts her gaze to Alec, lips twitching. “He’s cute.” She leans in closer, drops her voice enough that it gives a semblance of privacy, even though all three of them can still hear her clearly. "You certainly have a type, don’t you, Magnus?”

Alec shuffles behind him, bending down to pick up Magnus’ bags of food. Then he straightens up and slips his hand into Magnus’. Magnus stares at Alec, eyes wide.

“Are you ready to go, babe?” Alec asks, not even looking in Camille’s direction. His attention is entirely on Magnus, and he squeezes Magnus’ hand, giving him a look that says, _play along_.

Alec probably doesn’t know it, but completely ignoring Camille’s provocations is the best way to deal with her, and he’s _giving Magnus an out of this conversation_. Magnus could just about kiss him. 

Not that he would, of course, because it’s Alec, and there’s nothing between them.

(Maybe there could be. Because Magnus loves spending time with Alec, and he’s _got eyes_. Alec is one of the most beautiful people Magnus has ever seen. But he’d been with Camille for most of the time they’ve known each other, and Magnus, at least, was under the impression that that relationship was exclusive.)

Magnus tries to convey his gratitude to Alec with just a glance and plasters a smile on his face.

“Let’s get out of here,” Magnus says, leaning closer to Alec. He takes a step forward and then, almost as an afterthought, adds, “See you, Camille. Or not.”

Magnus strides out of the restaurant. He’s a little dazed by the emotional whiplash of having to see Camille and then being able to get away from her, and doesn’t realise he’s still gripping Alec’s hand until they’ve walked at least half a block.

He looks down at their hands, then at Alec, who’s illuminated by the light of an occupied stairwell just beside them. He’s looking at Magnus with a little wrinkle in his forehead.

“Are you okay?” Alec asks gently. 

Magnus licks his lips. “Yes,” he answers, though he’s not entirely certain. Camille knocks him off balance and he thought he was getting over it, but maybe he’s still got a way to go. 

Alec lifts a brow, clearly disbelieving. He places the food bags down on the sidewalk and rests his newly free hand on Magnus’ arm. 

“Do you want me to call someone, or walk you home or something?”

Magnus exhales slowly, smiling at Alec. “Yes, I’d like that. Thank you,” he says. “Hey. One condition: you share some of this food with me.”

Alec shakes his head and begins to protest but Magnus waves him away.

“I feel bad - Camille interrupted before you got a chance to order,” he explains.

Alec tilts his head. “Let me give you some money,” he concedes finally.

Magnus smiles at him again. “You can pay for the subway,” he offers instead.

Alec huffs a defeated laugh, and he’s about to say something when the stairwell door crashes open and a group of drunk people come spilling out, laughter bubbling into the air. A cheer goes up amongst them and a girl steps from the group, holding up her phone.

Even from the back, it’s clearly Isabelle Lightwood. She spins on a six inch heel, snapping away on her phone, if the camera flash is anything to go by, and she gets a picture of Alec and Magnus before she seems to recognise who her subjects are.

She checks her phone and then dashes over to them, grinning. 

“Cute!” she says excitedly, shoving her phone under their noses. Seeing the picture, Magnus has to agree. They’re holding hands in the photo - still are in real life, which sends warm tingles over his body - and it’s sweet, but she’s talking about the Snapchat dog filter overlaying their faces. Alec makes a ridiculously adorable puppy and Magnus can’t help laughing. “My two fave guys. Don’t tell Jace I said that. Or Max. Also, hey!”

Alec grins at her, reaching out to flick one of her waves of hair. Apparently drunk Izzy is extra bubbly and slightly less smooth than usual, which may account for the look of complete adoration on Clary’s face as she joins the three of them, wrapping an arm around her girlfriend’s waist. 

“You’re cute,” Clary argues, and Izzy scrunches her nose. “What are you guys doing here?”

Magnus lets his hand slip from Alec’s so he can gesture to the bags at their feet. It’s as if the movement draws Izzy’s attention to the fact that they were holding hands, because Izzy’s eyes widen and she looks at Alec with a weird expression.

“We’re heading back to my place to eat,” Magnus says. Clary nods.

“We’re celebrating Valentine’s Day,” she tells him, “only it’s _Galentine’s_ Day, because we’re gals.”

“Gals being pals,” Izzy says solemnly. She kisses Clary’s cheek. “We should find the others.”

Clary smiles at her and points up ahead to where their friends are. “We’re gonna catch them up,” she says to Magnus and Alec. “Have fun on your date!”

Magnus just rolls his eyes fondly, but Izzy’s watching the pair of them with a strangely scrutinising expression. In the end, she breaks away from Clary just long enough to hug Alec tightly.

“Enjoy yourself, big brother,” she says to him, “you deserve it. See you later, Magnus!”

Clary and Izzy run off up the block to find their friends, leaving Magnus and Alec standing alone.

“Shall we?” Magnus asks, bending down to pick up the food. It’s probably cold by now, but it’s nothing his microwave can’t fix.

Alec is looking at him, licking his lips. “What Clary said…” he begins. 

Magnus sends Alec a coy sideways glance. “Well, it is Valentine’s Day, after all.” 

Alec smiles, surprised and bright, though it seems like he tries to hide it with a lip bite. Magnus loops his arm through Alec’s.

“Thank you,” he says, “for what you did at the restaurant. You didn’t have to, and I appreciate it.”

Alec shrugs. “No problem,” he says. He links their arms a little more tightly, walks a step closer. “Most important question of the night: what food did you get?”

Magnus lets out a delighted noise and begins to wax poetic about his order while Alec looks at him fondly, wearing a smile that Magnus reckons could light up the New York night all on its own. They spend the rest of the walk to the subway station talking about food, all Magnus’ thoughts about his encounter with Camille entirely forgotten.

(At the end of the night when Alec’s cab arrives, Alec blinks at Magnus a couple of times before darting in to kiss him on the cheek. He pulls back, blushing, and murmurs goodnight. Magnus goes to bed smiling so hard his cheeks hurt.)

**Author's Note:**

> hmu on tumblr @[lightwoodlesbians](http://lightwoodlesbians.tumblr.com)! :)


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